Roof rack for a vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a roof rack section for attaching to a vehicle roof. Known such sections usually include a cross member having a foot attached to either end. Each such foot is provided with means for locking the section to the vehicle. Such known means often comprise screwed details which cause time-consuming and difficult fitting and removal of the roof rack sections. The present invention relates to a roof rack section including a crossbeam provided at either end with a foot which is formed with means for removably attaching the section to the body of a vehicle so that the section assumes a transverse extension above the vehicle roof. The invention is distinguished in that the means at each foot comprise at least two location pins, inwardly directed in the longitudinal direction of the crossbeam and adapted for accommodation in permanent recesses in the vehicle body when the roof rack section is fitted, and in that the section is provided with clamping means which by manual operation can cause the feet to assume different mutual spacing and thereby enable clamping the section to the vehicle body.

The present invention relates to a roof rack section for a vehicle andcomprises a crossbeam provided at either end with feet, the feet beingprovided with means for removably attaching the section to the body of avehicle so that the section assumes a transverse position above thevehicle roof.

It is customary to utilize such roof rack sections of the kind inquestion on passenger cars because of their versatility. As a rule, theattachment of such a section to the vehicle body is performed with theaid of clamping screws or similar means by which each foot can beclamped to the vehicle drip moulding. Mounting of a roof rack section inthis way thus requires tightening of a plurality of clamping screws witha given force, as well as sometimes requiring a special tool. Thisresults in that fitting the roof rack sections can take a long time. Asa result of these difficulties, it is usual to avoid dismantling thesections when they do not carry any load. However, due to the increasethus caused in air resistance, the vehicle fuel economy is adverselyaffected.

Unwillingness to dismantle conventional roof rack sections may alsodepend on the fact that the sections are usually implemented ascrossbeams which are longer than the width of the vehicle. As a result,there are difficulties in having them accompany the vehicle in theirdismantled condition. In addition, there is often the problem of storingconventional roof rack sections in a garage or in other storage space.

The present invention has the object of simplifying mounting anddismantling such roof rack sections and with this object in view, aninventively implemented roof rack section includes a crossbeam which isprovided at its ends with feet formed with means for removably attachingthe section to the body of a vehicle. The invention is substantiallydistinguished in that said means at each foot comprises at least twolocation pins directed inwardly in the longitudinal direction of thecrossbeam, and adapted for accommodation in permanent recesses arrangedin the vehicle body for this purpose when the roof rack section isfitted to the vehicle, and in that said section is provided withclamping means which can, by manual operation, cause the feet to assumedifferent mutual spacing and thereby enable clamping the section to thevehicle body by the feet being caused to bear against the respectivesides of the vehicle body, while the locating pins locate in therecesses in the vehicle body.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is solely required oneclamping and locking means on the roof rack section, which simplifiesand facilitates fitting and removal of the section. As a result of beingable to fit them simply and rapidly, the sections can be used more oftenwhen they are needed, and of course be rapidly removed when they are notutilized. By forming the crossbeam so that, after removal, it can beseparated into two halves, the section takes up a comparatively shortlength, which means that it can be easily stored in the vehicle or inthe vehicle luggage compartment.

Further distinguishing features of the invention are apparent from thefollowing description of an advantageous embodiment exemplifying theinvention. The description is carried out with reference to theaccompanying drawings, on which

FIG. 1 is a front view of an inventive roof rack section,

FIG. 2 is a view from above of the section according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a front view to an enlarged scale of one end of the sectionaccording to FIG. 1,

FIG. 4A is a plan view of a locking means, and

FIG. 4B is a side view of the locking means of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a roof rack section 1 mouhted on a vehicleroof 3. The roof 3 is however only at the ends of the section 1illustrated in the form of cutaway cross sections. The section 1includes a crossbeam 4 extending over the roof 3 in the transversedirection of the vehicle. Downwardly extending feet 5 are welded toeither end of the crossbeam 4. Both feet 5 are symmetrically the sameand the description is therefore limited to one of them.

Each foot 5 comprises an end plate 2 shaped like an isosceles triangleand two cheeks 6 which are welded onto one end of the crossbeam 4 andform a substantially symmetrical support means. There is thus obtained astrong and stiff connection between the foot 5 and the crossbeam 4. Thelower part of the foot 5 is provided with two inwardly directed pins 7which are suitably welded to the end plate 2 at a spacing which isgreater than half the height of the end plate 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates how an inventively implemented foot 5 is intended tobe fitted to the vehicle roof 3. In the exemplified embodiment, thevehicle roof 3 includes a roof sheet 8 welded to a stringer 9 extendingin the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The roof sheet 8 and thestringer 9 are formed with a longitudinal exterior drip moulding 10which is substantially covered by the upper part of a closed vehicledoor 11 which is partly illustrated in FIG. 3. Below the level of thedoor edge, a plurality of holes are provided in the sheet 8 and thestringer 9, flanged bushes 13 being pressed into the holes. The spacingof the holes corresponds to the spacing of the pins 7 on the foot 5, andeach bush 13 is dimensioned for accommodating such a pin 7.

When the roof rack section 1 is fitted to a vehicle, the crossbeam 4 isintended to extend transverse the vehicle roof 3. For this purpose andfor simplified fitting and removal, the crossbeam 4 is formed with twotelescopically joined beam portions 14,15. According to an embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the right-hand beam portion 14 is providedwith a uniform cross section, while the left-hand portion 15 is formedwith a reduced cross section at its free end portion such as to glideinto the right-hand portion 14.

Both beam portions 14,15 are preferably made from square tubing, theleft-hand portion 15 being adapted for fitting telescopically into theright-hand portion 14. Both portions have approximately the same length,whereby the middle region of the crossbeam 4 is given higher supportingstrength.

When assembled, both.portions 14,15 can be locked to each other indifferent relative positions with the aid of a locking means, suitably atoggle latch 16, arranged approximately at the middle of the crossbeam4. The implementation of such a toggle latch 16 is illustrated in FIG.4. A U-shaped lever 18 is pivotably mounted at its fulcrum in a mounting17 welded to one portion 14. A tee-bolt 19 is pivotably mounted in thelegs of the U-shaped lever 18, the end of the tee-bolt 19 being screwedinto a nut on a tensioning plate 20 provided with a bent-over lip forengaging in a recess 21 in the other crossbeam portion 15. By thetee-bolt 19 being mounted in the lever 18 to give toggle action, and byscrewing the nut onto the tee-bolt a suitable distance, the tensioningplate 20 can urge the crossbeam portions 14,15 into telescopiccontraction when the lever 18 is swung towards the half 14, thusenabling the pins 7 on the feet 5 to engage in their bushes in the holesin the vehicle body. In such a clamped-on state of the section 1, thelever 18 engages a lug 22 which is rigidly attached to the crossbeamportion 14. The lug 22 is preferably shaped to enable a safety pin or anordinary padlock to secure the section in a fitted position and toprevent unintentional release.

Fitting an inventive roof rack section 1 to the vehicle takes place inthe following manner. The crossbeam portions 14,15 are fitted into eachother without locking them together. The feet of the section 1 are thenrested on the drip mouldings 10 on the vehicle body 2, the pins 7 oneach foot 5 then being fitted into the bushes 13. The lip of thetensioning plate 20 is put into engagement with the recess 21, and thelever 18 is pushed towards the crossbeam half 14, the crossbeam portions14,15 thus being pulled towards each other with their feet pressingagainst the respective sides of the vehicle body. The nut on thetensioning plate 20 is assumed to have been adjusted on the tee-bolt 19so that the lever 18, when clamping, can assume a position substantiallyparallel to the crossbeam 4, as is shown in FIG. 4.

Within the scope of the following claims, the invention can be modifiedand implemented differently from what has been described in theforegoing example. The locking and tensioning means for the feet canthus be given another embodiment, enabling simple tensional clamping ofthe roof rack section. The crossbeam may, for example, be implementedsuch that one of its portions constitutes the chief length of thecrossbeam, with its free end displaceably mounted in the free end of theshorter portion. The displaceable portion and its foot can then beclamped with the aid of a screwed joint or the like which extends in thelongitudinal direction of the crossbeam and which is preferably locatedwithin the crossbeam. Guiding the displaceable portion relative theother portion can be achieved with the aid of sliding guides or thelike.

The description above relates to one roof rack section and itsattachment to a vehicle. In practice, it is however usual to use atleast two such roof rack sections on one vehicle, thereby enabling theattachment of containers or the like for voluminous goods.

I claim:
 1. Roof rack section for a vehicle, comprising a crossbeamprovided at either end with a foot which is formed with mounting meansfor enabling mounting of the roof rack section above the vehicle roof ina transverse direction, characterized in that said mounting means ateach foot comprises at least two fixed location pins which are directedinwardly in the longitudinal direction of the crossbeam, and adapted foraccommodation in permanent recesses in the vehicle body intended forthis purpose when the roof rack section is fitted to the vehicle, and inthat said roof rack section is provided with clamping means which can,by manual operation, cause the feet to assume different mutual spacingand thereby enable clamping the section to the vehicle body by the feetbeing caused to bear against the respective sides of the vehicle body,while the locating pins locate in the recesses in the vehicle body.
 2. Asection as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the crossbeam isformed from square tubing.
 3. A section as claimed in claim 2,characterized in that the crossbeam comprises two beam portions,telescopically connected to each other.
 4. A section as claimed inclaims 1 or 3, characterized in that each foot comprises an end platesubstantially configured as an isosceles triangle, and two cheeks weldedto the end plate.
 5. A section as claimed in claim 4, characterized inthat a foot is attached to the outer end of each of the crossbeamportions.
 6. A section as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that twoinwardly directed location pins at a spacing greater than half theheight of the foot are attached to the lower free portion of each foot.7. A section as claimed in claim 1 or 6, characterized in that theclamping means comprises a toggle latch including a lever pivotablymounted at one crossbeam portion and a hooked tensioning member which isarticulatedly connected to the lever and intended to engage with itshook in a recess formed for this purpose in the other crossbeam portionwhen the section is fitted.
 8. A section as claimed in claim 7,characterized in that the tensioning member is connected to the levervia an adjustable screw connection.